Aleksandr Sokurov

Aleksandr Sokurov, born on 14 June 1951, in Podorvikha, Irkutsky District, Soviet Union, is a renowned Russian filmmaker with significant contributions to cinema. He graduated from Nizhny Novgorod University and the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. His friendship with Tarkovsky had a profound influence on his early work. Despite encountering bans from Soviet authorities, Sokurov pushed the boundaries of art and produced numerous documentaries. His reportage about Grigori Kozintsev's flat in Saint Petersburg was met with international acclaim, as was his film, Mournful Unconcern, which was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival.

Sokurov had an impressive track record with feature films, with Mother and Son earning him international acclaim, winning the Special Silver St. George at the 20th Moscow International Film Festival. His diverse filmography explores various themes - from the corrupting effects of power in his tetralogy exploring 20th-century rulers (including Hitler, Lenin, and Hirohito) to the military life in the former USSR - solidifying his reputation as a unique and insightful director. His Faust, a depiction of Goethe's tragedy, won the Golden Lion, the highest award of the Venice Festival. Sokurov led a personal course at the Kabardino-Balkarian State University from which a new generation of cinema stars emerged.